LSU and Kentucky may not sit in the same tier of built-in SEC grudges as Alabama or Ole Miss, but when these two meet, chaos has a way of showing up.
The game that still defines the matchup came in November 2002, when LSU, the reigning SEC champions and No. 16 in the country, went into Lexington and found itself in a fight all night. The Tigers controlled most of it, at one point building a two-touchdown lead, but Kentucky flipped the script late and took a 30-27 edge on Taylor Begley’s field goal with 11 seconds left.
That kick sent Kentucky fans spilling onto the field, convinced the upset was in the bag. LSU had other plans.
Starting inside its own 10-yard line, the Tigers moved quickly when quarterback Marcus Randall hit wide receiver Michael Clayton to get out to the 26. From there, Randall rolled right and launched a Hail Mary into traffic. The ball got tipped, hung in the air, and somehow dropped into the arms of Devery Henderson, who raced into the end zone for a 33-30 LSU win.
Nick Saban still remembers the scene clearly.
“I remember we did not play very well,” Saban said. “I remember they poured Gatorade on their coach already.
And the guy threw the ball, and it just kept going and going and going. Their guys misjudged the ball, tipped it, and Devery Henderson ran for a touchdown.”
That wasn’t the only time LSU and Kentucky delivered a finish built for replay.
In 2019, during Will Wade’s first stint at LSU, the Tigers were ranked No. 19 and trying to end a drought in Rupp Arena that had stretched back to 2009. The game went back and forth all the way to a 71-71 tie with about six seconds left. LSU inbounded to Skylar Mays, whose driving layup missed, but Kavell Bigby-Williams was there for the tip-in at the buzzer to lift LSU to a 73-71 win.
And this past season brought another wild one. LSU led Kentucky by 16 at halftime, but the Wildcats kept chipping away in the second half and earned one last shot with under two seconds left. Kentucky launched a full-court pass to Malachi Moreno, who caught it, turned, and scored in a split second to complete the comeback.
Now the schools are set to meet again in week six of the 2026 college football season in Lexington. After the Bluegrass Miracle and those other finishes, the possibility of more pandemonium feels very real.
In Other News...
LSU Just Got Encouraging News At Two Crucial Positions
LSU got a welcome update on two important pieces of its roster, with coach Lane Kiffin saying tight end TreyDez Green and linebacker Whit Weeks are both expected to return at some point this season. Green, who has been working back from a knee injury suffered in September, is out of his brace and moving freely, while Weeks continues to recover from a fractured lower leg.
The Tigers have managed to keep winning with others stepping into those roles, but the eventual return of both players would still give the team a boost on each side of the ball. For now, LSU can at least feel better about the direction of two injuries that looked like they could linger much longer. [Read more 🡒]
LSU Got A Hopeful TreyDez Green Update Before SEC Play
LSU is heading into SEC play after a win over McNeese, and the conversation around the Tigers has quickly shifted from settling things down to getting ready for a tougher test against Kentucky. Lane Kiffin had plenty to say about the matchup and had praise for Wildcats coach Will Stein, while also using the week to take stock of where his own team stands after the opener.
The injury picture remains part of the backdrop, especially with quarterback Sam Leavitt dealing with a hamstring issue and the staff watching how that situation unfolds. Kiffin also offered a positive update on TreyDez Greens recovery, a development LSU will be happy to hear as it moves into conference play and continues to sort through the details of a game that figures to draw out more from the Tigers on both sides of the ball. [Read more 🡒]
LSU's Young Tigers May Have Forced Bigger SEC Roles
In a lopsided 63-14 win over McNeese, LSU got something more than an expected tune-up performance. Injuries among starters opened the door for younger players to see meaningful snaps, and several freshmen answered with the kind of production that can change the way a depth chart looks moving forward. On defense, Deuce Geralds, Zach Weeks and Jhase Thomas were among the young Tigers who made their presence felt.
Geralds stood out with a sack and a touchdown in the same game, while Corey Barber Jr. gave the offense a lift with 7 catches for 83 yards and 2 touchdowns as LSU piled up 731 total yards. Performances like those do not guarantee anything in the SEC, but they can force coaches to think differently about how quickly freshmen are ready for bigger roles when the schedule tightens. [Read more 🡒]